In certain types of cellular investigations carried out with the aid of a microscope, it is necessary to make physical contact with the cell, such as for example to make electrical measurements or to inject selected substances into the cell. Various forms of probes are used to perform such functions, and these probes must be carefully supported and manipulated in order to perform the required function, without in any way damaging or otherwise altering the cell. The apparatus which holds and moves such probes is generally referred to in the art as a micromanipulator, and can be purchased commercially from a number of different sources. For proper operation, the micromanipulator must be mounted on a stable support element or platform, so that the necessary minute adjustments of the probes which are accomplished by the micrometer-adjustable manipulator are accurate and reproducible.
In the past, mounting structures for micromanipulators have been relatively crude, and typically not very stable in operation, or they have been extremely sophisticated and expensive devices which are rather limited in their usefulness and flexibility. Most existing mounting devices are capable of supporting only a single micromanipulator. A plurality of separate support devices thus must be used if more than one micromanipulator is to be used in a particular experiment, or if the angular position of the single micromanipulator relative to the cell needs to be changed, as there typically is no capability of conveniently moving the micromanipulator relative to the mounting structure. In addition, most existing mounting devices require extensive modification to accommodate micromanipulators from different manufacturers.
Thus, there is a significant need for a mounting structure for microscope micromanipulators which is stable, simple to operate, and has a significant amount of operational capability and flexibility.